The Prophecy has been realized! The Goddess Suria has sent The Five Pendants of Power to Andora, sparking a war between the peoples of Suria and the Great Nosferatu Houses. Once again the Vampire Lord Dragul stalks Andora, gathering the legendary Hunters of Yeld to restore his dark empire. Now the High Elves of Elderon stand with the Imperial Legions and the free people of Korinath against Draguls Nosferatu armies. You must choose a side in the Battle for Andora. More...
	CAT MEN Cat men, the common term given to these feline humanoids. Quite fast and dexterous, these intelligent, primarily forest dwelling beings excel at any trade in which dexterity or speed is key. They make fine scouts, rangers or thieves, and are possibly the most potent Ninjas of any race. The appearance of cat men is that of a biped humanoid with a cat head, lower legs and clawed human-like hands with longer forearms. They have tails, and their bodies are covered in fur. The rest of their features are very much like humans. Cat men in general are isolationists tending to stick to their own kind in remote areas, away from outsiders. There are some exceptions of course. Cat men do not view themselves as a single unified race. Each of the sub races distinguishes themselves as an entirely unique species, just as different from one another as Orcs and Humans. Ignorant outsiders however call all cat people simply “catmen” or “The Fel” which any traveling cat person generally accepts. CENTAURS Centaurs are hearty beings who are deeply faithful toward the elements, in particular Ilsedore, the god of the earth. The culture of the centaurs is almost entirely based upon this faith and how it relates to their world and natural life. Centaurs are beings with human-like torsos, and equine bodies. There are some variations, which are bull-like, horse-like or goat-like. Many of the older and more powerful centaurs also have horns of some kind, mostly elk and deer horns, but also ram or bull horns have been known to occur. Due to their devotion to their faith, they make excellent clerics and holy men, and are possibly the most devoted paladins in the known world. Most other races trust centaur paladins and have a great deal of respect for them. The nature of their faith and realm of magic in which is falls makes a centaur paladin very unique in that it is a crossing of cosmic, divine and earth elements into a singular essence, which guides them. DWARVES The dwarf is a member of the third race, the race of magic. The Dwarf originates in highland and lowland regions, mostly in caverns and canyons, where they build entire cities. The dwarf is very diligent and patient by nature, and by culture they are excellent craftsmen, and are the most innovative of any race. The dwarf is short, stocky, and strong, roughly about four to five feet at tallest. They usually do have beards, because it is a mark of manhood and strength. Even the women sport some kind of facial hair such as huge side burns or long goatee’s, though they never have moustaches, hair simply doesn’t grow there on the women (unlike some human women, hehe ) They braid their hair and beards into particular patterns to show their ranks in their armies, and their accomplishments in their guilds. Dwarfs make better craftsmen than anything, but because of their lineage in the third race, they are also great elementalists, usually wielding earth and fire magic, which they use in assistance with their crafts. Dwarves are master blacksmiths. A Dwaven smith can accomplish in a month what it would take any other race a year to create. A human smith’s lifetime achievement of a suit of fine full mail would take an accomplished Dwaven smith a mere year or so to complete, usually because they have higher endurance, and can work longer days, and are generally stronger, more patient, and more diligent, all factors that help. ELVES The elves are the first members of the race of magic which includes many races such as dwarves, pixies, and dragons. Originally known as the Elder, the elves revered themselves as the rulers of the world, hailing from the great city of Arcadiam, the birthplace of magic, and the location of the stone of Arcadiam, the only known Heart of mana to take a physical form. This stone caused great strife between the elves of the great city and their adversaries. A great battle eventually ensured in which the stone was stolen, and removed from the realm of Arcadiam, which brought about a cataclysmic downfall, causing magic to come reeling across creation, and break into the very fibers of the physical world. Along with this power came the race of magic, including the elves. From their arrival in the physical world, the elves began to split and diverge, forming separate factions in order to struggle for survival more than anything. Others split away to seek a new set of traditions, because of disgust at the old race for the allowance of the stone’s folly. Over the course of several thousand years, the elves disseminated into three different races of the elven species, and the Elder as they were once known were no more. HIGH ELVES The high elf are the most alike to the ancient Elder in a great many ways from appearance and mindset, to their control of magical forces. The high elf are the most powerful and least plentiful of the elves. They are indisputably the most intelligent race overall on the planet, a credit which as added to their arrogance. As conceited as they are about their powers and the responsibilities to the world which that power brings, they are humble in comparison to their Elder ancestors. In the folly of their ancestors they have come to learn that what affects one group of people, will inevitably affect the rest, thus they act as guardians of magic in the physical world. All abusers of great magic are neutralized by the high elf, the hand of which is known as the Order of the Phoenix, a great order of battle mages which do their work in all corners of the world. The high elf are tall and slender beings, with luminescent white eyes and sleek silver or black hair, and pointed ears. They are highly various and noble, and have come to greatly understand their role in this new world, and as such have taken it upon themselves to combat the great threat, which the Nosferatu present to mortal and immortal alike. Mistaken for Nosferatu themselves by fearful humans, the High elf were hunted into near extinction, but managed to establish a single bastion of civilization known as Elderon, the great high elf kingdom in the north region of the continent of Andora, Almost literally all of the high elves hail from this kingdom, save for a few safe havens in remote areas of the world. The life span of the high elves is unparalleled by any other mortal, living for as much as 1500 to 2000 years, and occasionally more. Their closer bond to their magical roots has lent aid to this vitality ELVES or WOODELVES The Elf are typically much more socially accepting of other cultures and races, they mix well with humans, dwarves, cat men, centaurs, and other elves just as if they were their own. They have come to assimilate the human culture with their own, and as such have been able to survive in the world at large to become the second most numerous race on the planet, next to humans. They are diverse in what they can accomplish and have a rich culture rooted in art, music, performance, and trade. The elves maintain a good affinity for magic, but are not nearly as powerful as their other kin. The elves are slightly smaller in size than a human and have pointed ears. The elf physiology lends to the fact that all elves of all kinds are slender, and do not get overweight as humans and dwarves can tend to do. Their true natural abilities of dexterity and agility have helped them to become some of the best rangers and marksmen in the world, and they are unrivaled by any other race with a bow. There are other elves of this disposition who still prefer to live amongst their own kind within the forests of the world, in isolation with nature, and have come to be known as wood elves. They are physically identical and just as diverse in skill and trade as their city dwelling kin, but simply prefer the more rustic lifestyle and surrounding themselves with their own. They are hospitable to outsiders who come on peaceful ventures and often trade with nearby towns and cities of humans, elves and the like. A bit more devoted to magic than their counterparts, they have a bit more skill in that area, leaning toward water and earth disciplines. The typical lifespan of an elf is anywhere between 700 and 900 years, occasionally more. This is reduced compared to their high elf brothers due to their lessened dependence on their magical lineage. They have also developed keen eyesight, being able to spot objects at great distances and track targets from afar. DARK ELVES The dark elf have become the rouge faction of the elven race. They are the most jaded about the grfeat fall which brought them to this accursed world from the relative paradise which was the world of magic. The dark elf are extreme isolationists, establishing forest towns and villages in the deepest and most ancient dense forests of the world. They treat all outsiders with great prejudice. The dark elf have developed a modicum of skill in the Diabolic arts, due to their distain for the high elf and their traditions of old. After the great fall they immediately broke away and went into seclusion, separating themselves from all elements of the old culture. They abandoned their faith, their belief structure and their values, and embarked upon a journey to start anew. Living deep within the woods has also given them a great degree of skill in areas of stealth and hiding, making them formidable assassins and hunters, yet their true calling has become necromancy. These dark persuasions in no way mean that all Dark elves are evil, they are simply distrustful of anyone who is not their own. In fact a group of great traders and performers known as the Harlequins travel the continent of Andora and bring their strange and exotic culture to all. The dark elf have diverged greatly in appearance from their other elf kin, they have developed dark grey-blue skin and their ears are greatly elongated in comparison to the other elves. They also have developed nocturnal vision, having dwelt in dark woods for centuries. The life span of a Dark elf is between 700 and 900 years typically, but occasionally is more. HALF ELVES Half elves are a cross between an elf and another humanoid, almost exclusively human. Occasionally, they can be the offspring of Vampyre and elf (see Dampeel section). The Dwarf can pair with elves, but they simply do not produce offspring, their physiology is incompatible. Nosferatu do not reproduce, and an elf would never deliberately pair up with an Orc (though half Orc offspring have been known to occur, but are usually killed at birth.). Centaur, Minotaur, and Cat men on the other hand never mate outside their own races. The Half elves were derived from the sect of elves that assimilated to the rest of the world and began to create societies among other races. Like Dampeels, they aren’t totally accepted into any society, and their skills and knowledge are varied. Their history is also very wide spread, they came about two generations after the great divide in the Elven world, and have spread and scattered everywhere ever since. Half elves are typically wanderers, and when they do settle they try and be as concealed as they can within a town or city. Half elves must endure much hatred from both their human kin and their elf kin, therefore they have a higher WIL maximum than either. HUMANS The most plentiful race of all, humans. They are wide spread and varied in their talents, affiliations, fidelities and destinies. Mankind does not bind itself to one set of rulers or gods, mankind does not even need to follow anything if they so wish. Mankind is the one race which truly has control over its own destiny, and can choose a path as they see fit. Most other races must follow a much more strict guideline of beliefs or politics. Man was created eons after the races of magic. They were given single handed control of the paradise of the physical realm by Sirius. The evil’s of Lucifer, Sirius’ dark brother, soon brought that peace to a terrible end. The creation of his sons, Hades and Dragul, along with their hosts of demons would terrorize the living and the dead. Man began to fight for whatever he could lay his hands on, and in the process, they split into countless factions, which ruled various parts of the world striving to conquer and subjugate one another. In these struggles mankind grew his talents, but the day finally came when they could no longer call their world their own. The great fall of magic came about and man found himself cohabitants of a vicious world with a vast array of strange new creatures and races. Elves, and Dwarves, and the like all began to vie for survival and power, and mankind had to learn to cope once again to change. To reflect the diversity of mankind, there is no trade which humans are not skilled to some degree at, all trades provide race/trade match-up bonuses. Human kind does not center itself around a specific unified governmental force, rather they establish themselves into small villages, towns, cities ruled by politicians, large metropolis’ ruled by local regents or governors, and castle kingdoms ruled by kings and emperors. All of these various dominions either allying and aiding one another or warring and vying for power. Mankind as adapted to its neighbors and therefore, their settlements almost always have a wide range of other races who live and thrive in them just as man does. Man has made a universal enemy of the Nosferatu and in most cases the Orc as well, Though it is still not unheard of to find these races functioning as productive members of human society. MINOTAURS Minotaurs are enormous creatures with the body of a man, and the head and legs of a bull. They stand typically eight or nine feet tall, sometimes more. Minotaurs were originally created as guardians of tombs and treasure, but since they have become free, they now excel at feats and trades of great strength, such as being bounty hunters and mercenaries, beast masters and bodyguards. Establishing themselves into heavily fortified encampments, the Minotaur have developed a diverse culture. Believing deeply in the spirits of animals and in portents, they operate based on the guiding of a shaman or chieftain who is gifted with the power of seeing visions of the tribe’s destiny. Though incredibly strong and perilously savage when provoked, the minotaur are generally peaceful beings, hunters and gatherers, preferring to live quietly among themselves, venturing out only when it suits the needs of the tribe. Many individuals do depart from the tribes and venture into the world on their own for reasons of their own, being sought by others as great warriors or soldiers, which can turn the tides of any major battle. Origins: The Minotaur were created by the Elder as protectors of great places of power: shrines, tombs, vaults and more. They were bestowed magical powers that allow them to pass through stone, conceal their presence and stalk their enemies virtually unknown, powers which to this day have remained in their bloodlines, and occasionally crop back up. During the great war of Arcadiam, the Minotaur were employed as powerful siege beasts, to break the front lines of the enemy, and stay the advance of approaching troops. Their great chieftain of that time was visited by a black raven which gave visions to him of the exodus of the Minotaur from the oppression of the Elves. They were told to betray the elf and turn their backs to the enemy so that they may turn upon Arcadiam, and earn their freedom. After this great battle, the Minotaurs lay upon a new world as did all other slave races and magical beings of that realm. They scattered across the lands on the very winds, and came to settle into separate tribes. Rarely having anything to do with one another, and even less to do with the outside world. They continued living like this for some time until they ventured forth and wandered the lands in search of their new destiny. ORCS Orcs were one of the first races created by the king of Glasse as a brute squad and a pool of manual labor to aid his efforts. Right from the start the Orcs took to establishing themselves into tribes and warring amongst one another for supremacy over their tribe and the horde as a whole. The Orc are large humanoid creatures with green skin and large lower jaws with protruding lower canine teeth. They are quite strong and completely fearless in battle. They in fact almost never break from a charge and cannot be scattered until nearly all are defeated. Orcs, while not the brightest star in the sky as far as intelligence goes, are no strangers to the arcane arts of rune craft and primitive alchemy, powerful spell casters and battle mages are a rare sight among Orcs. They have a knack for using whatever is at hand to their advantage as long as it doesn’t take too much effort to figure out. They do have a tendency to destroy things that they do not understand, which has always been the bane of great artifacts, and cities of advanced arcane lore which have befallen an Orc attack. Highly resilient and strong the Orcs are born soldiers, bred for war, they have developed no other true calling, even since obtaining their freedom. Orcs live in isolated settlements in a variety of climates, usually very harsh ones so as to detour their enemies from seeking them out. As they live in relative safety from their foes, they establish various war parties and maraud across the landscape, warring amongst themselves and others. Occasionally many of these parties, or parts of them, often the surviving remnants of defeated ones, will mere into a war clan, headed by a grand chieftain, who’s main purpose is to unify by force the various Orc settlements and organize a group effort at conquering the surrounding civilizations. In an opposing view, the Orcish settlements might produce a wise Shaman who wishes to unify the tribes for a purpose of productive peace. They still may strive to conquer the towns and cities of outsiders, but they will do it together, with no warring amongst themselves. VAMPIRES The Vampire are those who prey on the blood of another, they have long fangs which they can generally conceal unless they are experiencing a fit of bloodlust. The vampire fear the sun, holy things and are allergic to garlic… or so people think. The truth is that the Vampire are very diverse and what is a devastating action against one vampire will often not affect another. The Vampire are cursed by nature, and are affected by the seven curses, or blights as they have come to be known as. The Vampire are supernaturally strong and often have special abilities which border on magical in nature. They are incredibly resistant to all forms of attacks, physical and magical. They heal at a greatly accelerated rate, and generally have much higher willpower to resist magic. Vampires are immortal by nature since they are technically undead. The only way to kill a Vampire is to behead it and stake it through the heart, or to expose it to the rising sun, or an extreme form of their bloodline’s blight. The Vampire as they are exist today because of the actions of one Vampire, Kaututh. He is the first being to be made a bloodline vampire by Dragul, the lord of the vampire. Kaututh created the seven families, and thus set in motion the spread of the bloodline, and each family’s subsequent blight. NOSFERATU The Nosferatu are the children of Dragul, the lord of the vampire. The Nosferatu take two forms: a ravenous, bloodthirsty minion and a consciously minded servant of noble blood. The first is created when any noble blood nosferatu claims a life with a bite. The body dies and quickly rises up again as an undead servant, completely indentured to his master’s will. The later are created when a noble vampire claims a life with a bite, but then allows the dying victim to drink of their blood. The body is buried and upon the eve of the third day, they rise once again with only minor recollections of their previous life, with their own free will, but still under the influence and control of the master who brought them into their new existence. The first being to be claimed into a house under a noble lord becomes known as the ‘first blood’ among any others who would be claimed by that lord. This individual is much more powerful, and his subsequent first blood would be more powerful than that of his brother. They are considered the purest members of their house and regarded more highly than others. Both varieties of the Nosferatu appear and in actuality are quite dead. They have pallid flesh and thinned hair. The noble blood Nosferatu appear more presentable by magical means or by great efforts to appear presentable. The Nosferatu are quite evil by nature, though the evil takes many forms, from something as basic as extreme greed and apathy, to outward delusions of grandeur and conquest. Though the Nosferatu are closely linked to the dark arts of Diabolism, they are best as Nobles, for they have influence over their subjects, the kind that no great high elf emperor has ever had. Nosferatu must feed upon the blood of sentient life forms such as humans, cat men, elves etc. They cannot feed on the blood of other vampires, and animal blood will only sate their thirst in extreme situations. If they do not feed, they are subject to blood lust (see blood lust rule) and eventually can be driven mad by it, loosing all control. They can also attempt to fight against the hunger, and transcend their form, and become Vampyre VAMPYRE The Vampyre are a religious sect of the vampire which came about in the time when the other races of the world were attempting to assess the threat that Nosferatu posed. They captured a group of eleven Nosferatu nobles and held them in separate cells, subjecting them to a wide array of effects and substances. With this they managed to kill four of them with sunlight, fire, subjection to holiness, and salt exposure. One of these remaining Nosferatu, Kuldon Thane, was placed in total sensory depravation, for four weeks with no food, water, or any stimulus of any kind. He proceeded to go mad, but overcame the great hunger for blood, by sheer force of will. In this he became more alive than any other Nosferatu. He managed to procure his freedom and later the freedom of his remaining brothers, who after scattering to the world for a time, reunited to create the Vampyre faith. The Vampyre can sustain themselves with animal blood and sheer force of will, resisting the hunger for sentient blood. They also are more passable as living beings, they appear more lifelike, fangs slightly less pronounced, and can produce offspring, rather than creating more vampires with a bite. If they should falter and bite another sentient life form, they would immediately become Nosferatu once more. Vampyre suffer from the same blights that the Nosferatu do, but they are much less potent. Vampyre are more accepted into society that Nosferatu are, and can often live amongst humans and elves with only minor fear and prejudice.